Dear Members of the Campus Community,
I am pleased to inform you that we have just received notification that the University of Puget Sound’s accreditation has been reaffirmed by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. As I shared with you earlier this year, we have been working as part of a collaborative “demonstration project” with Columbia Basin College, University of Montana, and University of Oregon, in an effort to address how colleges can best provide evidence of assessment of student learning outcomes and mission fulfillment.
As part of that project, the university submitted a report, which included stories demonstrating the university’s commitment to continuous improvement, and summaries and data about the important work of the campus. Following that submission two peer evaluators—the provosts of Lewis & Clark College and Rocky Mountain College—visited campus in April to review the report and meet with members of the campus community to learn more about our educational work. Our accreditation has been reaffirmed on the basis of this demonstration project, available on the accreditation website.
This work is central to the fulfillment of our mission, and I extend my deepest thanks and appreciation to our colleagues who have stewarded the university through this process: Associate Dean and Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science Martin Jackson, who also serves as Puget Sound’s accreditation liaison officer, and has led the demonstration project for Puget Sound since fall 2014; Director of Institutional Research and Retention Ellen Peters; and Academic Vice President Kris Bartanen. Countless others have contributed through annual assessment, program reviews, curricular reviews, and strategic planning.
Accreditation is truly a campuswide effort. Thank you for the important role you play in helping Puget Sound advance its mission and live our values in service to our students.
Sincerely,
Isiaah
Isiaah Crawford, Ph.D. | President